Interdimensional: Continuing the Fight
by t.j.guard
Summary: Sequel to Long Days' Journey. The fight continues, and Perry and Platyborg are trying to bring it home, to the Second Dimension. However, not everthing works out exactly as it should.
1. Chapter 1

Interdimensional: Continuing the Fight

Disclaimer: I don't own Phineas and Ferb.

A/N: format is the same as the previous two: each chapter begins by indicating the POV it's told from. There's one chapter where I change POV twice in the middle, but it's for the sake of the plot.  
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Chapter One

PLATYBORG

I shadowed Rodney, trailing as far behind as the range of my radar, tracking, and detection systems would allow. He walked into a hardware store and acted as if he knew exactly where he was going. He browsed the aisle as if looking intently for something and expecting it to be where he last found it. Apparently, he wasn't finding it, because his manner shifted from 'I know what I'm doing' to 'oh, my God, what do I do?'. He roamed the aisles frantically for about fifteen minutes before finally relaxing. He picked something off the shelf and walked to the cash register to, rather unexpectedly to me, pay for the item.

I followed him out of the hardware store and back to his apartment, where he picked up a parachute, slipped it on, and stepped through the portal, pulling the cord almost instantly. I followed, deploying my wings so that I could hover to the ground at a reasonable pace.

Rodney walked down the road, turned a corner, and continued walking...to the storage facility I had visited earlier. I was getting antsy, and I could tell that Perry felt this way when he needed to do something, as he had been the past couple of days. I walked into the storage unit, hugging the wall and watching Rodney closely, whatever it took from my observational arsenal. He hopped into the hole, and I knew what he was after.

I switched to normal vision and flew out of the storage unit. I knew one thing for sure: I had to get to Perry before the Normbots did.

The robots rushed by overhead, and I fired the afterburners, struggling to reach Maple Street. Once I reached my destination, however, I knew something was wrong. Normbots had already beaten me and were fighting not only Resistance members but Perry, fresh from the veterinary facility. He still had it, that was for sure, but I was still tempted to drop by and demand to know what I'd told him about dangerous solo missions, especially in his condition.

Before I could make good on my mental threat, I was forced to pull up and hover, watching as a black-clad man I could've sworn I recognized fought his way through the web of Normbots. At one point, a laser went off, toward the portal. Perry launched himself through the portal, over a platypus-themed catapult, and onto the kids, just in time for the laser to nick the catapult and disappear into the First Dimension.

The man landed in front of the portal, and I drifted so that I could get a good look at his face.

Suddenly I wasn't in the air anymore, or even eighty-percent metal. I was a platypup in my new lair, issued by O.W.C.A., wearing the official fedora for the first time. "Welcome to the agency," a younger Major Monogram said.

"Congratulations, Agent P.," the kid with the curly hair said, swinging his fist through the air enthusiastically.

I snapped back into reality with one word on my mind. The kid's name. Carl. He was a volunteer at O.W.C.A.

"Present your papers or be destroyed."

I turned at the command. A Normbot was hovering almost on top of me, dangerously close. I shot up and back, but the Normbot followed closely. I swapped my hand out for a blaster and fired, hitting him directly in the chest. He exploded instantly, and I returned my attention to the situation on the ground on Maple Street.

"Look who decided to help us out," Carl said bitingly, folding his arms across his chest. I mimicked his gesture and let out an equally biting chatter.

"We're on the same side, here," Candace snapped. "We can't afford to have infighting right now."

"We're only on the same side when it's convenient for him," Carl hissed.

I dropped to the pavement and stepped through the portal without a look at Carl, or the others. Perry was on top of his Phineas and Ferb, and Isabella was off to the side, looking on in awe and confusion, not that I could blame her. I turned to Perry and said, "We need to talk, now."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

PERRY

I followed Platyborg to the basement, via the garage, and pressed the button for the soundproofing system. "What the hell were you thinking?" Platyborg snapped, wheeling on me at the first available opportunity. "Do you want to wind up in a wheelchair for the rest of your life?"

"It doesn't matter what happens to me," I snapped back, taking a step toward him. "As long as the kids are safe, I could end up a quadriplegic for all I care."

"So not only do I have to look out for my Phineas and Ferb, I have to keep tabs on you, too? Okay, I see how it is."

"I never expected you to look out for me. Just the opposite. I keep expecting you to walk away."

"We're in the middle of a war."

"So you'd stick around for the fight and then find a way out as soon as it's over?"

"You think I'd pull something stupid, don't you? Guess I didn't leave a good enough first impression, Mr.-Higher-Expectations."

"I don't care about your first impression. I care about protecting my kids. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Platyborg faltered, but he maintained eye contact. "Look," he finally whispered, "like it or not, I care about you, and I want to keep you safe and sound. You're fresh out of the hospital, and it's going to be a long, long time before you're back in full health." This time I faltered. "You never gave up on me, whether you realized it or not, whether I liked it or not, and this time, I'm gonna return the favor." All the anger in his voice had faded, and I almost subconsciously relaxed. No one needed to tell me exactly what he was talking about.

"We're technically identical, so you know I have a need to keep doing something. Even acting like a stupid household animal is doing something."

"Yes, I realize this."

"But?"

"But you really ought to go in knowing what you're doing rather than hoping you'll figure it out later."

I nodded. After all, it made perfect sense. I just had the instinctual urge to protect the boys, no matter what happened to me in the process. "Do you still have that locket?" Platyborg nodded. "Good. We might need it."

"Let's go put together what we know."

PNF

Platyborg sat at my computer, in my lair, entering data like he was me, faster, even, than I could. This didn't surprise me at all, since he was mostly a robot, but I still couldn't help but stand back in awe. He typed away feverishly, pausing only to insert a key made of one of his hands into a lock or place it onto a scanner, accessing another set of files or materials, the most notable of which was the complete archive on the O.W.C.A. main site, which even I wasn't sure I could access.

He selected several files in particular: one on Rodney, two on Agent K., one on the Normbots, three on our two dimensions and how they related to each other, and two maps: one of Danville, and one of its Second Dimension counterpart. He printed out the maps and plucked a sharpie out of my supply mug, then pulled the maps from the printer and lay them on the floor. With the sharpie, he marked the locations of each of the three portals on both maps. "What we have here are the three most likely locations for Normbots to invade your Danville from mine," Platyborg said, gesturing to the maps of the respective locations he was talking about.

"And last I checked, my Doof was working on an -inator to shut off all the portals at the same time," I replied.

"This has you written all over it. I can taste it."

"Okay, you got me. I did it. I went to Doofenshmirtz and asked him to build an -inator for me."

"Who said I was accusing you of anything? I'd have done the exact same thing, believe me. I was even about to, but something came up."

"Your Doof?"

"Believe it or not, yes. Anyway, back to the matter at hand. We already have a plan underway to close the portals, but the Normbots are already on the move."

The screen switched on. "There you are, Agent P.," Major Monogram said. "I see you're feeling better. Doofenshmirtz has been up to his old tricks. He's been buying up mechanical parts from evil suppliers all over the Tri-State area, and we both know that this could only mean bad news." I gave him a flat look. "Do you have anything to do with this, Agent P.?" I surpressed the urge to roll my eyes, but I made no other effort to hide the fact that that was kind of a stupid question. "Agent P., why aren't you in bed?" I chattered, indicating that I actually felt fine, despite my ribs hurting every now and again and my neck being sore, though I couldn't remove the neckbrace. "Uh, well, uh..."

I looked at Platyborg, who shrugged, and I rolled my eyes at him before returning my attention to Major Monogram, who was absorbed in some medical files. My test results from earlier that day. Monogram closed the file and looked up at me. "You two are just planning, right?" We nodded in unison. "Carry on," he said, and the screen switched off.

"Apparently your tests must be very good," Platyborg said.

"Apparently. Anyway, let's get back to the plan."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

THIRD PERSON

Phineas bolted upright, a sudden flash to another robot battle coming to his mind. "I remember now," he said.

"Remember what?" Isabella asked.

"There was...there was a huge fight, and...we were in it, on the side of the good guys. There were robots, from the Second Dimension, and-"

"Phineas, are you okay?"

"I...I think so." He got to his feet, followed by Ferb, and turned to Isabella.

"Well, I think I better go," Isabella said, walking out through the gate.

Phineas turned to Ferb, who gave him a small but reassuring smile. "If I'm right, then we should go inside," Phineas said. Ferb followed wordlessly, but the rest of the family was gathered in the living room. Phineas gestured for Ferb to retreat to the hallway. "We'll have to come back later," he whispered. "They're not supposed to know about Perry's secret agent life, and what he did."

The boys walked into their bedroom, where they could see the platypult from the window. "We're probably going to need that later," Phineas said, leaning back from the window and walking over to sit on his bed. Flashes continued to cross his mind. "Don't you remember, Ferb? Love Handel singing 'Robot Riot'? The Normbots? Platyborg back when he was evil? When we first learned that Perry was a secret agent?"

"Now that you mention it, yes, yes I do," Ferb replied.

"So I think that's what's going on right now, except I don't think Second Dimension Doofenshmirtz is behind it. I think it's someone else, and I think we should ask Perry, if we could get down there without being seen." Phineas got to his feet and walked to the door, pressing his ear against it. Ferb merely blinked. "I'm gonna go out and see if the coast is clear." Phineas slipped out of his room and reached the stairwell, leaning forward. The living room was clearing out as Candace was ascending the stairs, Linda walking into the kitchen and Lawrence going out to run a few errands, read: check out a garage sale.

Phineas opened the door to his room and nodded to Ferb, who followed him out into the hall, down the stairs, and into the now-vacant living room. "Okay," Phineas whispered. "Let's go." He lifted the mirror, which now seemed to be attatched to hinges. A draft stirred the boys' hair. Ferb gestured for Phineas to go first, and the redhead leaned toward the tube, allowing himself to be sucked into it. Ferb followed, and though he couldn't hear it, Phineas was certain the mirror returned to its former position behind them.

The two boys dropped into a red chair in front of a giant blank screen, and they looked around for a second before spotting Perry and Platyborg studying some maps. "There you are, Perry," Phineas said as he and Ferb walked over and reached out to hug him. Perry let out a slightly warning chatter, and they wrapped their arms around him. "So, what're you doing?"

Platyborg gestured to the three points on the map of Second Dimension Danville, paused, and gestured to the correspoinding points on the map of First Dimension Danville. Perry chattered. "Okay, I get it," Phineas said. "Or, I think I get it. These are the places where the robots can come attack us, right?" Platyborg nodded. "So, what do you guys know about the robots?" Perry held up a picture of a bald man with a large cranium and strangely shaped eyes. Phineas squinted at the caption. "'Aloyse Everheart Elizabeth Otto Wolfgang Hypatia Gunther Galen Gary Cooper von Roddenstein, known as Rodney by Doctor Heinz Doofenshmirtz,'" he read. "Well, I can see why Doctor D. would call him Rodney." Perry and Platyborg jumped, and Perry gestured for Platyborg to follow him to a point where they could talk in private. "Wow, wonder what that's about," Phineas said.

PNF

Perry and Platyborg walked into a janitor's closet. "The hold of the amnesia-nator's been broken," Perry said. "There's no stopping the flood of memories now, which means we have one more thing to worry about."

"Relax, Perry. They already know your secret, and I already got the ball rolling on them working for the agency," Platyborg replied. "Besides, we could use the extra help, what with Rodney and all."

"But they know who Doofenshmirtz is, and while Doof's unlikely to remember, I'm not, and neither are the boys. They could end up in danger, and I'll be dead and buried before I let that happen."

Platyborg rested a hand on his alter's shoulder. "I know, Perry," he said softly.

Perry took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Okay, maybe I'm overreacting a little, but it's a little jarring finding out that your owners remember something they should've forgotten, especially when that something is the name of your nemesis, and there's no telling how much else they remember. They probably just rememebered the first interdimensional incident entirely."

Platyborg grabbed both of Perry's shoulders. "Okay, Perry, Perry, breathe. You really are starting to overreact."

"And I'm rambling, too. My nemesis is rubbing off on me."

Platyborg released Perry's shoulders and took a step back. "That's more like it. Now, back to business. You in?"

"Of course I'm in."

"Okay, here's what we do. We go out there, we plan, we let those two boys in on what we're doing, and somehow we decide on one of us to insert the locket key," here Platyborg held up the item in question, "and we prepare for war, because this is gonna be a messy one, and though I can only speak for myself, I'm not about to let Danville go without a fighting chance."

"What about Second Dimension Carl?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

The two platypuses walked out of the closet and back into Perry's lair, where they joined Phineas and Ferb in reviewing the maps.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

THIRD PERSON

In Resistance headquarters, under Isabella Garcia-Shapiro's home, Carl leaned against a wall in the hallway, bouncing a tennis ball against the floor and wall opposite him. He couldn't believe the day's events. Platyborg had been a general for the side they were resisting in the first place, and he had the nerve to show up and help out?

He'd ranted to the others something to that effect, and all he got was, "You weren't there. You didn't see what happened to Perry, you don't know why he became a cyborg," from Phineas. Thankfully, his brother stopped him before he could continue, and Carl was told to go out into the hall to collect himself, which was how he ended up where he was, bouncing a tennis ball around.

Where those two boys got the nerve to defend their 'pet' platyborg was beyond him, and as far as he was concerned, the cyborg could've been using them as a cover and working on a plot to restore Doofenshmirtz to power. And Platyborg was the type to time it so that just when he gained their trust, everything would go wrong. Carl wasn't about to let that happen. Not after last time.

He struggled to push the thoughts from his mind, and was successful for all of about ten seconds. Tossing and catching the ball was almost reflexive now. He gave up on trying to forget about it and decided to process everything that happened that day five years prior.

Perry was a platypup and had just been granted full agent status after several months of rather intensive training, for a platypup, anyway. He was spending time with his new host family to get to know them and develop a bond. Then Doofenshmirtz took over. O.W.C.A. had to send out its best agents to bring him down as swiftly as possible, and Perry was sent along with them.

Carl had thought Perry was much too young for a field mission, and it had been a little early in his relationship with his host family, but Major Monogram insisted, stating that Agent P. needed the practice. So Perry went to help the other, more experienced agents handle Doofenshmirtz, and he never returned.

Several months later, Platyborg dropped in through the headquarters roof, and all Carl could think was, I didn't do enough to stop this. He and Monogram made it through the O.W.C.A. battle just fine, though Monogram became an indentured executive assistant and Carl joined the Resistance.

Platyborg's actions over the next several months, as he led Normbots to conquest all over the Tri-State Area, shifted Carl's response to Perry's change of heart from self-blame to extreme hatred. His thoughts shifted from, How could I not stop Agent P.? to, How could he turn his back on us and let himself be made into the cyborg general of an evil robot army to take over the Tri-State Area?

And he trained in the Resistance, driven solely by the desire to get to Platyborg and... At first it was kill. He wanted to kill, then he wanted to torture, but no mater what stage he was in the process that drove him, he never had a clear-cut plan outside of that he wanted Perry to hurt as much as he did.

Now, after Doofenshmirtz fell, Platyborg had the self-righteousness to try to help out the Resistance with the rogue Normbots and their ever-elusive new leader? The old hatred that constantly burned within him returned to full force, and he had no outlet for it except a tennis ball and two flat surfaces.

He caught the tennis ball and checked his watch. He'd been standing in the hall playing with a ball and thinking for a solid ten minutes, and still no one needed to talk to him. They must've figured he was still too pissed off to talk, so they decided not to try. Carl shrugged the thought off. It was a normal reaction, considering his attitudes with regard to Platyborg and the Normbots and his remarkable drive while participating in the Resistance against Doofenshmirz.

He stood erect and began pacing the entire length of the hallway, the tennis ball in his pocket and his arms folded across his chest. The anger was abating, and so was the tension in his muscles. His arms fell to his sides, and his breathing became more even, softer. He stopped thinking entirely, lapsing into a state of peace he'd only achieved only a very few times over the past few years.

"There you are, Carl," Major Monogram said as he poked his head out of a hall at the end of the hallway. "Have you been out here the whole time?"

"Yes, sir," Carl replied.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"I am now."

"Well get back in here. We have work to do."

"Yes, sir." Carl followed Monogram into the main office, where Baljeet was explaining to the others the nature of the three portals and how precarious the current interdimensional situation was. Though Carl considered this old news, he listened anyway and was beginning to put together a way to help them solve this problem.

PNF

"Okay, so here's what we've got so far," Phineas said, looking up from his notes, "a mad scientist leading an army of rogue robots in some kind of world domination scheme, three portals between our dimension and the Second one, and the risk of another robot invasion. Does that sound right?" He looked up at the two Perry's, who both nodded. "There are three points from which the robots could invade. How many does Rodney know about." Perry chattered. "Okay, only one, in his apartment, as far as we know. How easy is it to secure that portal?" Platyborg chattered. "Think we can do it?" Platyborg and Perry exchanged glances, and Platyborg looked up at the brothers and nodded. "Okay. We'll contact Doctor D. and see what we can do about the one in his apartment, and we'll take care of the one in the backyard. Sound good?" Perry and Platyborg nodded curtly. "Okay, Ferb, we've got work to do."

Perry and Platyborg watched Phineas and Ferb take the chute to one of the most inconspicuous points in the house: the bathroom. Within seconds, they were alone with the maps once more.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

PLATYBORG

"Think they'll do what they say they're going to do?" I asked.

"I know they will. This is Phineas and Ferb we're talking about," Perry replied. "I take it your set of brothers is a little bit different."

"Yeah, they are, and trust is an issue, especially given what I've done."

"Was that what was going on with you and Second Dimension Carl?"

"You could say that."

"Okay, we can secure two of the portals easily, but the one in Rodney's apartment, or in your dimension eighty feet in the air, will be the most difficult strictly because of its position."

"That makes it the most important target and thus requires a special ops team."

"The other agents are away making sure no other portals are opened, so where do we find one of those?"

I smiled. "Looks like I have to go run an errand," I said.

PNF

I glanced back at the portal in Second Dimension Phineas and Ferb's backyard and then looked toward the street. I walked around the portal to the house and slipped in on all fours through the specialized door. Phineas and Ferb were busy with something, most likely, so that left Candace.

I trotted up the stairs to her room, looked around for witnesses, and stood on two feet, knocking on her door. "Who-well, this is ironic," she said when she answered the door and looked down at me. "Uh, you know you can come in whenever you want, right?" I chattered. "Official business? I thought the reign of Doof was over." I nodded and chattered again. "Come in. Let's talk about this."

I stepped into her room, and she shut the door. She was in Resistance clothing, so she must've known about the upcoming fight. She asked me to sit down, which I did, on the chest at the foot of her bed. Candace faced me and gave me a once-over. "Okay, what've you got?"

I hopped off the chest and opened it, fishing around for a notepad and pencil, which I soon found. I wrote, '_Three portals, a robot army led by Aloyse Everheart Elizabeth Otto Wolfgang Hypatia Gunther Galen Gary Cooper von Roddenstein, AKA Rodney, and another war for the two Danvilles on the horizon._' I handed her the note and she scanned it briefly before looking up at me.

She put on her sunglasses and asked, "What do you need me to do?"

PNF

The Firestorm Girls, Candace, and myself were gathered amid the rubble of Doofenshmirtz Apartment Building Seventy-Eight, staring at the portal to the abyss that was eighty feet in the air. "You want us to secure that?" Isabella asked, pointing up at the portal and looking at me. I nodded, adding a chatter to indicate that it was just the one that I needed help with. Isabella looked up at the portal again, her hand lowering to her side. "How do we get there?" I deployed my wings, earning more than a few surprised looks. "Uh, okay, then. I guess that works."

I assisted the Firestorm Girls to the portal, the safest place for landing being the apartment in the First Dimension. After the last girl was in place, I landed next to Candace, tucking my wings in place and looking up at her. "Well, if that's the last of 'em, we should probably go home," she said, turning to walk down the sidewalk. I shrugged and followed her.

Along the way, I tried to contact Perry through his watch, which beeped off the hook. Okay, new plan, I thought, going through the computer, which he thankfully turned on. "The team is in place," I said.

"Good work, other me," he replied with a smile.

"So now what do we do?"

"We're surveilling the portal in the backyard right now, and so far no other portals have been opened."

"How's the portal in Doof's place?"

"I contacted him, and he told me he was already called by Phineas and Ferb about the portal and he and Vanessa have been watching it like hawks ever since."

"Okay, that's good. All three portals are secure. If Rodney or his robots come through any one of them, we'll know."

"And we'll jump 'em before they get very far."

"Unless the opposing forces overwhelm us and breach our security to proceed with the invasion."

"And the cyborg cat will probably lead them, if my logic is right."

"Which means we haven't seen the last of Agent K."

"Which means we're screwed, because if she's anything like you, she'll be a formidible enemy."

"Uh...thanks, I think." I managed a small, awkward smile.

"No problem."

"What's the next order of business?"

"I don't know yet, but I'll contact you as soon as I do. For now, how's about you stay there and keep your boys safe." I saluted, and Perry nodded curtly, smiling at me. "That's that, then. I'll contact you when things go from bad to worse." I nodded, and Perry hung up.

We reached the house, and Candace held the door out for me. I nodded to her and walked in on all fours. I trotted up the stairwell once again, this time heading toward Phineas and Ferb's room. I slipped into the room and lay on the floor in the space between their beds. The boys were already sound asleep, and soon, I joined them.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

PERRY

I turned off the computer and slipped out of my lair, reaching the backyard without anyone noticing. I spared a glance for the portal and synchronized my watch with the O.W.C.A. surveillance cameras. If anything shady went on in the middle of the night, I would know about it, and I could arrive on the scene quickly.

I slipped into the house on all fours and trotted up the stairs toward Phineas and Ferb's room. The previous night I'd started out on Phineas' bed, so I hopped onto Ferb's bed once I was in the room. He wrapped an arm around me and pressed me close almost unconsciously. I let out a chatter, and Ferb sighed.

I wanted to sleep at first, but my mind was still in secret agent mode, so I was still assessing and processing the events of the day. We'd made great strides involving this whole Rodney situation: we already had all three portals between our dimensions secure, we had a nearly full understanding of Rodney's master plan, and we had people on both sides of the dimensional divide working for the cause.

It struck me that that must've been what taking down Second Dimension Doofenshmirtz must've been to the members of the Resistance.

I pushed the thoughts from my mind and sorted out other things. It would be a matter of time before the invasion took place, I knew, and something about this scared me. I looked at Phineas and Ferb, and I realized that it wasn't one something about the invasion that scared me. It was two somethings. The boys.

The boys were in danger, whether they went to war or not, and odds are, they would.

If it ever came to that, I was absolutely certain I could trust Platyborg to lead the troops to victory or death. I didn't want to see anyone surrender or allow themselves to be captured, and I had the feeling Platyborg was exactly the same way.

I ran a quick check of the surveillance footage from my watch and hopped from Ferb's bed to the floor. I was too restless to hop into Phineas' bed, so I slipped out of the room and down the hall. Platyborg was probably asleep by now, so it would've been pointless to contact him.

I walked into the living room and lay on the couch. I was extremely tired, but I was too wound up to sleep. So much had happened, and I felt as if I couldn't sleep, or else even more would happen and I would miss it. Especially if it involved the two boys, who had to stay safe at all costs, especially with the situation the way it was.

Don't get me wrong, I was all for them joining the tech team at O.W.C.A., but if anyone hurt them, there would be hell to pay for whoever caused the harm.

I heard a knock at the door and checked the surveillance footage again. The man at the door was a delivery guy, but I didn't recall anyone in the Flynn-Fletcher home ordering anything, nor did I remember any talk of a delivery of any kind. I decided not to answer the door, instead watching the delivery guy on my watch. He knocked and rang the doorbell a few more times before turning to leave, not leaving anything on the porch.

He wasn't a delivery guy at all, and relief washed over me.

I hopped off the couch and walked up the stairs, back into Phineas and Ferb's room. The boys were still in their beds, and the surveillance didn't show any further unusual activity.

I hopped into Phineas' bed and fell asleep instantly.

PNF

I first became aware of the warmth of the sun and the fact that someone's arm, one of the boys', was around me. Then I felt a scratch on my forehead, and I let out a chatter, though opening my eyes was a little bit difficult. I closed them again after Phineas and Ferb were awake, and I dozed some more before coming to again.

I ran a quick check of the surveillance footage, which revealed no suspicious goings-on over the previous night, save that delivery guy from God knows where. The boys were in the kitchen, having breakfast with the rest of the family, and Stacy. Platyborg hadn't left any messages, though I didn't know if that was a good sign or a bad one.

I couldn't slip away just yet; it was too risky, and besides, breakfast was the most important meal of the day. I walked downstairs to join the Flynn-Fletchers in the dining room, only to find a bowl of platypus food waiting for me. I tasted it gingerly, half expecting it to be poisoned for some reason. It was safe, and fairly fresh to boot, so I ate.

The boys were talking animatedly, or at least Phineas was, about their plans for the day. Linda and Lawrence were brushing it off as overactive imaginations. Candace and Stacy were trying to figure out what to do about the 'mysterious force', apparently figuring out that building a shrine to it had unknown results in appeasing it, and talking to it didn't have as good a track record as they expected.

They were remembering other bits and pieces, too, as evidenced by little snippets of their conversation which caught my attention: "...and it brought in those robots..." from Candace, who was already regarded as crazy and probably didn't care what anyone else thought, and from Stacy: "...and all this time, I thought you were insane, but all those things the boys made..." No one made any mention of how I was a secret agent, but knowing Candace, she probably, hopefully, thought she hallucinated that part, or didn't remember, since she did refer to it as "the most normal thing that's happened today." It must've been completely unremarkable compared to everything else, thus rendering it something not worth remembering, for which I was unbelievably thankful.

I finished breakfast without incident and walked into the backyard, sitting next to one of my secret entrances, watching the portal. I could see the platypult behind the tree, ill-hidden, but no one seemed to notice that it was there in the first place. Candace had made no attempts to bust the boys since the previous day, so tied up was she with the 'mysterious force', so that certainly helped.

I had only dreamed it, but I knew what happened when those boys were forced to have the creativity stripped out of them, and I didn't want that to happen. I wouldn't let that happen.

I turned on my watch and tried to contact Platyborg. "Couldn't you call at a more godly hour, like, oh, say, one in the afternoon?" he mumbled when he answered.

"This is a godly hour. You're just a sleepyhead," I replied. "You know anything about a shady 'delivery guy'?"

"Not really, why?"

"One of those stopped by last night, rang several times, too. Didn't leave anything, looked pretty sketch to me."

"Be careful. For all we know, anyone could be working for Rodney, directly or indirectly, and we can't risk anything, not yet."

"Thanks for the tip."

"No problem."

"So, how're your boys?" I asked.

"They're good. They're down having breakfast right now, with Candace."

"Any word from the Firestorm Girls?"

"Not yet. I didn't even get any messages last night while I was asleep."

"Well, good. I guess as of now it's a waiting game."

"It is, more than anything else. We wait, watch, and hope, but we do need a plan in case anything goes wrong, and believe me, if I know war, something will go wrong."

"Isn't that always the case?"

We chuckled, and I glanced at the portal. "Everything okay on your end?" Platyborg asked.

"Yeah, it's okay. I'll have to talk to the Doofenshmirtzes, perhaps supply a few additional warnings against Rodney, but here and at the other portals, everything seems to be okay."

"Things are never as they seem."

"This is true."

"Still, go check on them, see what their situation is."

"I will."

Platyborg nodded and hung up, and I slipped into my lair, making a beeline for the rocket car. I took off out of my lair and flew in the direction of the Doofenshmirtz Evil, Inc., building. I parked on the balcony and knocked on the sliding glass door. Vanessa opened the door and asked, "How you doin'?" I looked at the portal. "Oh, you're checkin' on that? Don't worry. Everything's okay." I raised an eyebrow, and she let me enter. I examined the portal first, ensuring that it was okay, and then I examined the rest of the apartment. Doof was hard at work on one of his recent -inators, and I snuck a look at the blueprints. It was the "Reverse-what-Rodney-did-to-the-robots-inator", which, while a mouthful, indicated that this was one I probably shouldn't destroy.

At the sound of knocking, I turned toward the door, gesturing for the Doofenshmirtzes to remain behind me. Doof ignored my warning, as usual, and walked up to the door, pressing his eye to the peephole. "Oh, look, it's Rodney," he said cheerily, moving to open the door. I launched myself in such a way that I ritcocheted off the wall to tackle him. I inadvertently caused him to turn the knob fully, and I understood the nature of my mistake as soon as the door swung open.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

PLATYBORG

I watched the portal in the backyard, knowing full well that Perry was preoccupied with other business pertaining to this parcticular matter.

Of course, after a few minutes without a report back, I shifted into panic mode, and I tried to contact him. When he didn't answer, I tried to contact the agency. "Platyborg? Why're you calling us?" Major Monogram asked, and I could tell immediately that it was the Major Monogram from the First Dimension. I chattered. "Ah, yes, Agent P. As far as we know, he went to inspect the portal situation. He hasn't contacted us since." I raised an eyebrow. This was certainly getting interesting, and not necessarily in a good way. "He hasn't gotten back to you, either? That's...uh... I'm just speechless. Anyway, go find him before anything happens to him." I rolled my eye, and Monogram hung up.

I walked through the portal and took off, flying well out of sight of the citizens of First Dimension Danville.

I did my best not to think of a worst-case scenario, but it flew to the front of my mind. Perry could be dead, or kidnapped and held hostage, or even in the process of becoming my true First Dimension counterpart. He'd already been injured in the line of duty; any other injuries, especially to his ribcage, would be risky.

I'd been in perfect health when I was turned into a cyborg, and even then, I could've lost my life. Perry might not be so lucky.

I had to find him before anything horrible happened.

I reached the Doofenshmirtz Evil, Inc., building and slipped in through the sliding glass doors, or what was left in them. The portal was still open, but the front door was ajar and the apartment was empty. Hostage situation, I thought.

I scoured the apartment for clues and then tried to ask the neighbors before remembering that Heinz Doofenshmirtz's closest neighbor was a senile old bat who couldn't be able to tell me anything I needed to know. This was going to be a little trickier than I thought.

My mind jumped to the security footage.

I took the elevator down to the basement, where I found the building's security office. With a few quick strikes, I knocked out the security guards, leaving me to peruse the footage at my leisure, if I had any leisure. I played back the footage from the start of the day. Much of it was routine: a few residents going on errands, some visitors, some delivery guys. Then I found what I was looking for: Rodney entering the apartment complex with Agent K. the cyborg cat.

Definitely a hostage situation.

I checked the screen on my wrist, which registered the current location of Perry's signal watch, and I was on my way out of the apartment complex and airborne once again within minutes, checking my screen every two seconds. I picked up the pace once I locked onto Perry's current position. He was moving quickly through the Tri-State Area, and I was unsure if I could get to him in time.

I continued to follow the little dot that indicated Perry's position throughout the Tri-State Area, and I soon realized he wasn't being taken to Rodney's apartment building. That guy was definitely smarter than he let on. Finally, the dot stopped moving, and I almost overshot its location.

I switched off the radar screen and dropped to the roof of the storage unit. This unit corresponded to Doof's storage unit for rogue Normbots in the Second Dimension, so it was definitely a point of interest.

I slipped in through an opening in the roof and dropped to the floor as silently as I could manage. This storage unit had crates and boxes all over the place in haphazard stacks which created multiple hiding places. I turned on the radar screen again and scanned the warehouse. Apparently, Perry was right above me, so I slipped out of the building again and scoured the roof. Perry wasn't there, but I did find his watch somewhere in the middle of the roof.

"Dammit," I cried. Perry slipped out from right under my bill, and I only had myself to blame. I'd been tracking the wrong object.

I thought of Perry's locket and called up its ID in the O.W.C.A. Registered Devices Database, under the file 'Agent P.' The device's ID was heavily encrypted, but I managed to get through. His collar locket ID beeped, and the radar screen zoomed around the map of the Tri-State Area in a circular motion. Finally, I recieved a message on the screen: 'Out of Range'. I swore loudly again, and I sank to my knees, for the first time feeling defeated.

PNF

I flew back to the Flynn-Fletcher home and, rather than walk through the portal to go home, slipped into Perry's lair. My feelings of defeat were still haunting me, but I wasn't able to let them take me down. If there was anything I retained from my days as Doof's right hand, it was the instinct that I should never fail. I couldn't fail.

Perry's life was at stake.

I typed in the codes to get into Perry's account on the O.W.C.A. computer network, and I entered the device ID I was looking for. I selected the largest map available, one of the world created by O.W.C.A. agents all over it. The crosshairs circled the map in several passes before I recieved the message my personal radar screen gave me: 'Out of Range'.

I closed the window and swapped my hand out for a USB plug, inserting it into the corresponding port. I selected a similar map from the second dimension from my mental file, and it loaded up onto the computer. I entered the device ID again and let the crosshairs scan the map. If he wasn't here, then I had no idea where he was.

The crosshairs stopped, flashing. I typed in the code to zoom in on the crosshairs. They met in the Tri-State Area, in what used to be Doof Park. I had no idea which portal Rodney and the cyborg cat passed through, but I now knew where to find Perry. I only hoped he was still alive.

I committed the coordinates to memory and unplugged the USB cord, replacing it with my hand. I turned the computer off and turned to leave the lair when Perry's Phineas and Ferb dropped into the chair.

"Oh, hey, Platyborg," Phineas said. "Do you know where Perry is?" I nodded. "Oh, good. We were getting worried. I mean, we know he's an agent and he's real tough and everything, but he's still really hurt, and besides, he's family." I nodded again, a soft smile on my bill. I pointed to the exit and gestured for the boys to follow me.

We slipped into the backyard, behind the platypult, and I peered around the tree. The portal was undisturbed, and I was pretty sure Rodney hadn't used this one. I gestured toward the boys again, and we slipped through the portal into the Second Dimension Flynn-Fletchers' backyard.

"So, Perry's in the Second Dimension?" Phineas asked. I nodded, extending my hands toward the two boys. They took my hands, and I took off. As far as I knew, we were the only ones who knew about Perry's locket. With luck, it wasn't removed and left on a roof somewhere like his watch was.

I checked the coordinates again. Twenty feet to go. Ten, five. Soon we were right on top of it, and I brought us into a slow landing, circling around the location until our descent was complete. Phineas and Ferb let go, and I studied the statue mount in front of us. I checked my radar screen. This was about where Perry was supposed to be.

I gestured for the boys to fan out and search the park, and I covered the area surrounding the statue mount. Toward the end of my search, I turned my attention to the mount itself. I scanned the rim closely, finding only a plaque labeled 'Your Leader'. Okay, maybe this thing pops open, I thought, working my hands under the mount and lifting it. I found it to work just like a manhole cover, so I pushed it aside and whistled.

"I think Platyborg found something," Phineas called, and he and Ferb rushed over. I hopped into the hole, followed by the brothers. I felt around the edge of the hole. It was a very smooth metal drop, interrupted by a door requiring a key code. Since this area was unfamiliar to me, I was unsure if I knew the code. I pressed the button anyway.

"Please enter vocal recognition code," a female voice said. Rather than chatter, as I usually did, I pressed a button on my arm, playing a recording of Doctor Doofenshmirtz stating his name. "Access granted," the voice said, and the door hissed open, revealing a chamber resembling what I took to be a bomb shelter. I heard a chatter.

"Perry," Phineas cried as he and Ferb rushed into the chamber. A moment later, they carried Perry out between them, and I wrapped my arms around the group and took off out of the hole. I landed carefully a few feet beyond the statue mount and the hole it had concealed.

"Did you really think it was going to be that easy?"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

THIRD PERSON

After being tied up, blindfolded, and tossed into the back of a van, Phineas said, "Guess we're sticking around a while." Perry let out a chatter, something of a "You think?" Platyborg and Ferb remained completely silent, the former working on a plan to get out of this mess, and the latter just because that was his nature.

The van drove through the streets of town, and Platyborg tried to keep track of their turns, tracking their movements and trying to figure out where they were going. At first he thought they were headed toward Doofenshmirtz's old building, but they drove too long for that to be possible, Platyborg figured.

He called up his mental map of Danville in an effort to figure out where they were being taken, but in all honesty, it looked as if they were just driving around randomly. Platyborg refused to be deterred, however, and kept up the struggle to figure out where they were.

Perry chattered, and everyone else present could see that Phineas visibly relaxed.

Finally the van stopped, in front of what used to be the courthouse, across the street from the old City Hall building, Platyborg noted. The doors to the back of the van were thrown open, and the four were grabbed and carried up the stairs into the courthouse, and then up another set of stairs. They were thrown into a jury room several stories up, which further complicated matters.

"I should've known someone would try to find you, Agent P.," Rodney hissed. "Oh, wait, the boys aren't supposed to know about that, are they?" Perry let out a defiant chatter. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. In case you haven't noticed, you're in a hostage situation." Perry looked up, turning his head as much as his neckbrace allowed. Rodney was standing above them, and at his side was Agent K., the cyborg cat. He let out another angry, defiant chatter. "Oh, you're really getting in over your head. Another chatter out of you tells me exactly who to harm first."

"You leave our platypus alone," Phineas snapped.

"Or you'll what?"

Platyborg ripped himself free of his bonds and punched Rodney in the gut. The cyborg cat reacted immediately, punching Platyborg just hard enough to send him back into a wall. "I told you this wasn't going to be easy," Rodney drawled, turning to walk out of the room. Perry chewed at his bonds and, with Platyborg's help, freed himself. He kicked Rodney in the back before he reached the door, and Rodney crumpled to the ground, looking up at the injured platypus who was standing at the ready, watching him with narrowed eyes.

Platyborg turned his attention to the boys and untied them with two swift motions and positioned himself between them and the cyborg cat, who was also in a battle stance.

Phineas glanced at the closet at the far end of the room and gestured to Ferb. They crossed the room silently in hopes of not attracting the attention of Rodney, who was on his feet by then, or the cyborg cat. This failed. Rodney gestured, and the cyborg cat pounced.

Perry reacted almost immediately, leaping through the air and landing a kick on the cyborg cat's face. He slid into a landing, and the cyborg flipped over before landing in the corner a lot less gracefully. The cyborg pounced again, and Perry slapped her in the face with his tail. This time, she crumpled in the corner. I must've hit harder than I thought, Perry thought, creeping closer to the boys.

Rodney stared across the jury room in stunned silence, and Platyborg immediately began processing what had taken place. Phineas and Ferb were still rifling through the closet, the only sounds to be heard in the jury room.

Finally Rodney composed himself, and Platyborg figured out what the boys were looking for. He crossed the room in one leap and let out a chatter to indicate his presence. "What're you waiting for?" Rodney snapped. "Get them."

Platyborg called to Perry and kicked at the security hatch in the back of the closet. The boys immediately began asking questions, but Platyborg was too busy making sure the boys and Perry got into the passage safely. He shut the door behind them just in time for the cyborg to slam into the closet.

Without a second thought, Platyborg pulled Perry onto his back and took the hands of the two boys. Once everyone was secure, he took off down the tunnel, automatically guiding them through the underground network in an effort to gain distance.

PNF

Platyborg successfully guided them to the mining carts, landing in one of them. He let go of Phineas and Ferb, and Perry slipped off his back. He turned his attention to the motor and managed to get it started. The carts, in spite of not being used since the war effort against Doof and Platyborg, began moving almost immediately.

Perry positioned himself right next to Platyborg. "You're taking us to the Resistance, aren't you?" he asked.

"I don't have a choice. If anyone can protect your boys against cyborgs and rogue Normbots, it's them," Platyborg replied. "Once we drop them off, we can go find Doof and Vanessa, yours, of course."

"They won't be as easy to track as I was."

"I know, but I'm sure if I ask around, I can get some answers."

"Everyone here is gonna say Doof's in jail."

"Hmm, good point."

"Okay, how about we try to think like Rodney? If we were him, where would we put a couple of hard-to-find hostages?"

"If I had to hide some hostages that couldn't be tracked, and if I had the access codes, I would go with the basement at Doofenshmirtz Apartment Building Forty-Eight, on the North Side," Platyborg said.

"You've done this a lot, haven't you?"

"Yes, I have, in the early months, back when he wanted prisoners."

"And what about Carl?"

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

Perry glanced back at Phineas and Ferb, who were discussing the memories their current mine cart journey brought back. It was obvious that Platyborg was trying to block out the memories the boys brought up, but Perry noticed that it wasn't working as well as the cyborg had hoped. He rested a hand on his alter's shoulder and chattered softly. Platyborg looked up at Perry and smiled, but the pain didn't leave his face. It's going to be a long, uphill battle, Perry thought, lowering his hand.

PNF

Carl found himself leaning against the wall bouncing his tennis ball around again, this time keeping watch outside the headquarters. He was stationed at the entrance of the mining tunnels, waiting for the carts to return with Resistance members back from checking on Doofenshmirtz, who he assumed was back in his cell.

The mine carts did come back, but not with the payload he expected. He caught the tennis ball, and upon spotting Platyborg, his grip tightened until his knuckles were white. The carts stopped, and First Dimension Phineas, Ferb, and Perry hopped out. Platyborg, oddly enough, hesitated to follow.

What did you expect? Carl demanded of himself. Did you expect him to run a surprise raid and try to kill you? As soon as the question crossed his mind, Carl realized that that was exactly what he expected from Platyborg. He fully expected Platyborg to finally find him and finish what he started five years ago.

First Dimension Perry stepped forward, letting out a chatter. "No way," Carl said. "No way am I helping any one of you freaks anymore." He gestured to Platyborg in particular. "Nothing you can say or do will change my mind." Perry raised an eyebrow and chattered again. "Those boys?" Perry nodded. "You want me to protect them?" Perry nodded again. Carl heaved a sigh. "Goddammit, I must be losing my mind. Get them in here." He typed in the code to open the door, and he and Perry stepped aside, gesturing for First Dimension Phineas and Ferb to enter the Resistance headquarters.

Platyborg stepped forward, and Carl stopped him, kneeling and leaning forward so that he was looking the cyborg directly in the eye. "Pull anything stupid, and it'll be two seconds before you see your battery, and another before you're out like a light. Do you understand?" Carl hissed. Platyborg nodded curtly. Carl straightened up and walked back into the headquarters.

Perry walked into the tunnel and asked, "Now, whaddaya say we go get to the apartment building?"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

PERRY

I hopped onto Platyborg's back, and he flew through the tunnels until he reached the basement to Second Dimension Doof's apartment building. He pressed the button, and the door opened. The room was dark, so I tensed, having no choice but to trust Platyborg's night vision. "Why here?" I asked at one point.

"Because from here, I can get anywhere," Platyborg replied. "Part of the system of direction that was built into me. All centered on Doof's old H.Q."

"So you can find the apartment building from here?"

"Yes, yes I can."

Platyborg entered the access code for an elevator, and we flew inside. I hopped off his back. The elevator was brightly lit, albeit noticeably artificial, and soft elevator music was playing as we rose. I glanced at Platyborg, who seemed slightly annoyed at the music, but for a long while, I didn't say anything.

"So, what's going on with you and Carl?" I finally asked.

Platyborg sighed, bowing his head and hunching his shoulders over. "I destroyed O.W.C.A.," he finally said. "It was me, all me, despite what some people will tell you about Doof's orders. I went there and I kidnapped Monogram and I destroyed the facility. Carl escaped, and he never forgave me."

"So that's why he's so mad?"

"That's my best guess."

The elevator stopped, and the doors opened. Platyborg stepped outside, and I followed. This was Doof's office, from what I remember. In the center of the room, Platyborg turned to me, and I hopped onto his back again. We flew out through the roof, and we turned north. Apartment Building Forty-Eight, I repeated to myself.

It was several minutes before the indicator on Platyborg's wrist beeped, and I knew we were getting close. He tucked his wings back into place and dropped onto the roof of a seemingly-innocuous building. "This is it," he said. I hopped off his back and followed him to the fire escape, where we descended to the pavement. I followed him through the lobby to the elevator, which, thankfully, descended to the basement.

We walked into the basement, which was just as dark as the basement of Second Dimension Doof's apartment building. I kept close to Platyborg almost instinctively, and when I sensed that someone was near, I chattered. "Oh, there you are, Perry the Platypus," Doof said, and Platyborg stopped.

"Think you can untie us?" Vanessa asked. That was what we were here for, I thought, feeling around for the two Doofenshmirtzes and the rope that bound them. I found the rope and the knot that held it secure. After some examination, I found the knot to be of high quality, but I tried chewing around it anyway. I failed in untying it myself, so I chattered for Platyborg, who cut the rope with a saw, presumably part of his personal arsenal of weapons. "Okay, cool, now let's get out of here." I could hear Vanessa and Doof get to their feet, and we kept close together as Platyborg led us out of the basement. That was two kidnap rescues in one day, but just as I thought I was in the clear, I heard the cyborg cat in the elevator.

Platyborg stopped us and swapped his hand out for gun, firing a careful shot. The lights flickered on, for which I was grateful. The elevator doors opened, and my suspicions were confirmed.

I looked around for anything I could use as a weapon before spotting the rope. I gestured to Vanessa and pointed to the rope. She nodded and picked it up, handing it to me. I smiled and tied a lasso. Platyborg and the cyborg cat walked toward each other, fully prepared to rip each other apart. I began swinging the lasso, waiting for the right moment, and the cyborg cat lunged first. I tossed the rope, still holding fairly loosely to one end. The lasso caught, and I pulled until the rope was taught. Platyborg shot me a surprised look, but I only gave it passing acknowledgement as I struggled against our semi-robotic assailant.

Finally, the rope was ripped from my hands, sliding through with a burning sensation. The cyborg cat slipped the rope off over her head and lunged toward me. I slapped her away with my tail, but she charged again. If she was anything like Platyborg, then this would require more than a tail-slap to the face and smashing something into a nearby crate. That didn't mean the basics should've been thrown to the wind, though, and they were probably worth more of a shot than not. Agent K. wasn't my nemesis, so it wasn't for me to know.

Platyborg seized the opportunity and landed a sharp kick to the cyborg cat's side, causing more damage, sending her farther, than my tail-slap had. We stood side-by-side in battle stances, and the cyborg cat decided to lunge for both of us simultaneously. We both landed kicks to her chest, and she flew back in earnest, striking a crate before landing about seven feet back. "This is going to be difficult," he said.

"Tell me about it," I replied. We assumed battle stances again, waiting for the cyborg cat to attack again.

The cyborg cat lunged again, but this time it wasn't us that stopped her. I looked at the rope and its two wielders, and I was tempted to ask myself why I didn't hear their footsteps. Doof and Vanessa were both putting up a good fight against the struggling cyborg, and Doof asked, "Okay, now what?" I gestured for them to stay there and turned to Platyborg, who gestured me over to a stack of crates, which he pushed aside effortlessly, revealing a security door.

"You stay here until I help the others disable Kittyborg over here," Platyborg said, and I turned to watch as he launched himself into battle. The two First Dimension Doofenshmirtzes and my alter subdued the cyborg, tying her to a pipe, and Platyborg led them over to me. He entered the codes into the panel, opening the security door, and we slipped through into an underground tunnel. I chattered, indicating that we should all keep together, and we walked down the tunnel. My top priority was putting enough distance between the cyborg and us.

"How're you feeling?" Platyborg asked.

"Better, but a little sore from everything that's been going on lately," I replied.

"That's what you get for rushing off into battle." Platyborg smirked, and I rolled my eyes.

"First things first, we get as far away from our attackers as possible. If we make Resistance headquarters, we can formulate a plan to deal with Rodney, your so-called Kittyborg, and the rogue Normbots."

We were not twenty feet from the door when I could tell someone tried to punch it in. Platyborg leapt to the back and said, "Go."

"Where?" I replied.

"Get to Resistance Headquarters."

"How?"

"At the first corner you feel, turn left. Then, go straight for about a hundred feet. Then turn right, and keep going straight until you reach a door." There came another sound from the other end of the tunnel. Kittyborg was trying to punch her way through the door. "Go, now, before she hurts you again."

"Oh, like you can take more hits than me."

"Actually, I can. Now go. This is the last time I'll say this."

I had no choice but to relent. I checked to make sure the two Doofenshmirtzes were close by, and I felt along the wall, chattering for them to follow. I found the tunnel, turning left as Platyborg instructed. I wasn't sure exactly how far a hundred feet would be, so I kept feeling the wall for the tunnel I was looking for.

Finally, I found the tunnel, and we turned. Now all that was left was to find the door and hope Platyborg made it out okay.

We reached the door, and I knocked. "Perry," First Dimension Phineas exclaimed when he answered the door. "We got worried, with your injuries and all." He reached down and hugged me gingerly. The Doofenshmirtzes walked past us, and then Phineas let go, and I followed him inside.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

PLATYBORG

Kittyborg was putting up a hell of a fight; she was easily my equal, if not my superior. I picked up the rope and attempted again to tie her to something, this time a pair of pipes spaced closely together. I used the strongest knots I knew, unsure if they would do any good. I had to try something.

At the first available moment, I shot off down the tunnel, following the instructions I had given Perry. I reached the door and knocked. Candace opened the door, and I slipped inside. First Dimension Phineas and Ferb were with Perry and the First Dimension Doofenshmirtzes, and my Phineas and Ferb were hard at work on their latest contraption, an upgraded computer for Baljeet. Just in time, too, because Kittyborg was dangerous and Rodney much worse, not helped by the fact that no one seemed to know where he was.

I glanced over at Carl, who was glaring daggars at me and probably wishing I was dead. I turned my attention to the other Resistance members. It was interesting to me that they were mostly female and under the age of fourteen. These children spent much of their childhoods resisting Doofenshmirtz when no one else would. I felt a good deal of respect for them then.

I stepped toward the control panel, which was currently searching for Normbots. We had to start somewhere, and it wasn't like I had a better idea. When they weren't coming up with anything, I chattered, attracting the attention of the red-headed, bespectacled girl, Gretchen. "Oh, uh, sure," she said, allowing me access to the keyboard. I typed in a few commands, broadening the parameters for searching for the Normbots. After I hit 'enter', I studied the blips that appeared on the map of the Tri-State Area. "Oh, I guess that makes sense."

"Told you it would pay off to have the Platyborg on our side," Baljeet said. I smiled to myself and looked over my shoulder at Perry, who was with his Phineas and Ferb, who were busy checking him over for any other injuries he might've sustained.

I directed my attention to my Phineas and Ferb, who were finishing up their work on the computer. Those boys could do anything. I was sure of it, and I was glad that with the reinstatement of summer, they had the chance to. Smiling softly, I looked back at the screen indicating where each and every Normbot in the Tri-State Area was located.

I swapped my hand out for a port and began to download the map. This would give me an excellent baseline for tactical purposes. After I finished, I walked over to where Candace was leaning against the wall, overseeing the operation. She glanced down at me and said, "Oh, there you are, Perry." I found the phrase oddly comforting, so I chattered in response. "How're things going?" I gave her a thumbs up. "Oh, good." She knelt next to me and whispered, "No matter what you've done, you're an experienced general, and I trust that." I smiled, not sure whether I should offer her a hug or not. She stood and returned her attention to the members of the Resistance.

PNF

I made my way to the surface that evening, seeking a cool breeze and perhaps a little room for my thoughts. Danville was empty, and I checked the radar screen. There were no Normbots around for a radius of several blocks. The information was a little outdated, but I did nonetheless feel fairly safe. "Hey," Perry said, startling me slightly. "Figured you'd be out here."

"Everything okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine, considering the circumstances. I'm sore as all hell, but I've been through worse, and I know you have, too."

"I have, but I'm managing to deal with it."

"Good, good. Anything you can make out of the map of the Normbots' positions?"

"A lot of tactical weaknesses, for one thing, little things that we can exploit easily and without much risk."

"But can it get us to Rodney to end this once and for all?"

"That's the difficult part. I scorn the easy stuff. I want the challenge of finding Rodney and taking him down. I had failed once, but I learned a lot since then."

"Does the map give any indication as to where he or his faithful sidekick are?"

"Sadly, no, because we don't have readings on them in the system."

"Do the Normbots provide any clues?"

I pulled up the map again, scanning it closely. The Normbots were fairly evenly distributed, with no huge clusters to indicate playing bodyguards. "No," I said, closing the map.

"Maybe we have to get into enemy territory to see what we can find, at least, via cyberspace."

"Something like that would require the combined assistance of the Doofenshmirtzes, us, our boys, and the other kids."

"But it'll be worth it. We get to Rodney, we can stop his scheme where it started, with him."

"You think it can be done?"

"I know it can be done."

"And I'm a general, Perry. There are multiple practical considerations that beg to be looked at. We can't just go rushing in like headless chickens."

"I know, which is why I trust you to lead us. I'm no good at commanding an army, I know that much, even if I know a thing or two about strategy, but you..."

I cracked a smile. "You're making me blush."

"We both know what we're doing. I trust you, but do you trust yourself?"

I turned to face Perry, and I nodded. "Let's go figure out what we're going to do."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

THIRD PERSON

Perry and Platyborg paced across the Resistance control room. It was three in the morning, and they were the only two present. "Okay, so we have a map of their last known positions," Platyborg said, walking over to the computer, where he pulled up another radar map, where the positions of the Normbots remained unchanged. "What we need are Rodney and Kittyborg's positions, which I think I can find, in the latter case at least, via radio signals." He typed in a few more commands, and a blip appeared on the screen. "If Rodney based Kittyborg off of me, which I assume he did, then this means that she would be playing bodyguard right now, so he would therefore be close by."

"What're we waiting for?" Perry asked. "Let's go, before anyone gets hurt."

"Remember, Normbots are very receptive to threats to their master, so this has to be a precision strike."

"Can it be done?"

"Of course it can be done, otherwise I wouldn't be suggesting it."

"So what're we waiting for?"

"Right now, a map of the underground tunnels." Platyborg pulled up a map of the tunnels and downloaded it to his database. "We're all set. Let's go, before we're forced to drag our boys into an already tricky situation."

The Perries walked out of the headquarters and down the mine tunnel.

PNF

Second Dimension Phineas and Ferb walked downstairs to the living room. Their parents were still asleep, or hiding in the bedroom, still afraid of Platyborg, regardless of whether or not he was still evil. First Dimension Phineas and Ferb were in the backyard in their dimension, checking over their platypult. "What're you doing?" Second Dimension Phineas asked.

"Checking this over. Perry's been real tense lately, and it probably means there's a big fight coming," First Dimension Phineas replied. "By the way, have you seen Perry, by any chance?"

"Last we saw your Perry, he was with our Perry in Resistance headquarters."

"And since your Perry's a general, they're probably working on a tactical solution for our problem."

"They'll do it, I know they will," the two Phineases said at the same time.

"That's just weird," the Ferbs said simultaneously.

PNF

Carl walked into the headquarters' control room. Candace and Major Monogram were going over details in the conference room, leaving him essentially to his own devices. He settled into a chair and bounced his tennis ball against the floor. Platyborg had essentially stormed in and taken over the operation dealing with the rogue Normbots. Sure, he and his counterpart knew more about it than anyone else, and he knew the Normbots inside out, but did that give him any right?

He could feel the anger bubbling inside of him, but he did his best to keep it beneath the surface. He could take it out on a few Normbots and chew Platyborg out later.

An alarm sounded from the main computer, and Candace and Major Monogram burst in through the door. The other Resistance operatives launced into Code Red mode, and Carl found himself forced back toward the wall.

PNF

Perry and Platyborg peered around the wall down a motel hallway, watching Kittyborg's pacing anxiously. Rodney was nowhere to be seen, but the two Perries could feel each other's nerves nonetheless. "Now what?" Platyborg whispered.

"This is the part where we think like secret agents," Perry replied.

"That's your forte, not mine."

Perry leaned forward, studying Kittyborg. "Where's Rodney?"

"Good question."

"What did your readouts say?"

"This motel, this floor, but it didn't give me anything specific on the room number or position."

"Okay, so it looks like we're pulling a fast one."

"Are you sure about this?"

"There's a right way and a wrong way to go about something like this. You're laboring under the delusion that I'll misstep. I've been in the agency for years, as long as I can remember, even. All I need is a shabby collar, some notebook paper, and a sample of somebody's handwriting."

"Wow, you are good."

"Thank you." Platyborg produced a notepad and his old collar, and Perry searched around in his camera for a picture of a document in a random villain's handwriting, which he found. The image was several months old, but it would have to do. Carefully, Perry and Platyborg forged a note reading, 'To Rodney'. Perry removed his collar and fedora, handing the former to Platyborg. "Make sure you get this to my Phineas and Ferb. If we don't succeed, they'll need it." Platyborg saluted, and Perry fastened the old collar around his neck, under his neckbrace, slipping the note between it and his fur.

Perry got down on all fours, walked into the hall, and let out a meaningless chatter. Kittyborg glanced at him and continued pacing. Perry chattered again, allowing a drop of annoyance into his vocalization. Kittyborg turned again and picked him up by the neckbrace. Perry winced and squirmed, showing all the reaction expected of a mindless housepet. Kittyborg forced his hand down inside the neckbrace and plucked the note from the collar. Perry gritted his teeth, sorely tempted to let out a horrible squak but not willing to awaken any sleeping guests. She ripped out the note, and Perry relaxed, at least, until she tucked him under her arm with one hand. Kittyborg read the note in one second before crumpling it up and tossing it aside.

Platyborg watched from the corner as Perry was carried into a motel room as a willing hostage.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

PERRY

I clenched my jaw so hard it hurt as much as my ribs and neck. This was the third hostage situation thus far, but if all went well, it would be the last one. My captors didn't know that I was right where I wanted to be, and Platyborg had his instructions, which I knew without doubt he would follow. All that remained was to play the part.

Kittyborg tossed me onto the nearest bed, and upon impact, the squak building within me was finally released. "Oh, does he have to be so loud?" Rodney asked, rubbing his temples. "I see you've successfully recaptured one of the targets. Where's the other one?" Kittyborg gave Rodney a look, and I rolled over onto my stomach. "Oh, he'll come. He'll come."

At least this way I could assure the safety of Phineas, Ferb, Phineas, Ferb, and Platyborg.

PNF

PLATYBORG

I waited until I was sure the coast was clear before turning to leave. Being a secret agent was, after all, Perry's thing. He knew what he was doing.

From a tactical perspective, he was in prime position, close enough to the enemy to do serious damage while largely undetected. All he needed was an ideal opening.

"Present your papers or-" I blasted the Normbot's head off before it could finish its command. For good measure, I blasted it again, and it collapsed to the floor.

How could a Normbot get into a motel? I was typically the one sent in, given my small, maneuverable stature. I looked up from the heap of metal to where the far window-and much of the far wall-should have been, and I answered my own question. Kittyborg was already busy with other things; somebody else had to get rid of me. And what was worse, if I was right, there were more coming.

Dots hovered in the center of the gaping hole, and for the first time in a long time, a lead ball formed in my stomach. I dove into the main hallway and glanced at my radar screen. Perry was still in position and most likely he had no idea what was going on. I took a deep breath and studied the ceiling.

I could hear the Normbots closing in. Rodney or Kittyborg must've been tipped off that we were onto them. From the sounds of it, I was vastly outnumbered.

There would be a Resistance distress sensor in the ceiling, accessible only by a top shot with advanced knowledge of the technology. Resistance members seemed to really love motels and apartment buildings. Maybe it was the hiding-in-plain-sight factor.

The Normbots moved closer, maybe to ten feet away from my position. No time for Resistance philosophy.

I had no springboard, and using my wings was too risky. I leapt into the air, aiming almost blindly at a point toward the corner of the ceiling and the far wall. I spun into position to kick the point, and I felt a small irregularity on impact. With some degree of relief, I landed on my feet with my back close to the far wall and prepared to fight the Normbots.

PNF

PERRY

I'd heard the commotion outside, and I glanced at Rodney and Kittyborg, who were exchanging satisfied smiles. If I could get out to back Platyborg up...but it was too risky with these two in the same room as myself. My ribs and neck still ached, and if I knew anything about animal cyborgs, knocking Kittyborg out would be more difficult than usual.

Maybe a distraction would be more effective. It almost worked when I peed on Doof's couch. I peed again, right where I stood on all fours, on the bed. "I just had those washed," Rodney snapped. "Kittyborg, go find new linens." Kittyborg saluted and dashed out of the room. I swatted Rodney's face with my tail as hard as I possibly could and dashed out to the hall.

Platyborg and several Normbots were squaring off, and I looked around for the fire alarm, spotting one down the hall, toward the elevator. I slipped down the hall, easily maneuvering around the various Normbots and their body parts. "Platyborg, take cover," I called, waiting until he ducked into the alcove reserved for the vending machines before I pulled the alarm. As the bell rang and the sprinklers ran, I slipped back down the hall, diving into a roll to join Platyborg. "Be careful," I said. "I'm wet."

"I see that," he replied.

"Now, did you summon help?"

"I did."

I turned back to the hall, where Normbots were struggling to maneuver. "How long?"

"If I had to guess, roughly fifteen minutes, maximum."

"Not too bad. They're pretty easy pickings in a place like this, and the lack of maneuverability makes me personally feel a little safer."

"Same here."

"Should we try to take them out while they're struggling to maneuver?"

"There are still to many of them. Let them beat themselves up trying to obey orders. Besides, that's more entertaining than us doing it for them."

I let out a laugh, pulling away from the corner and leaning back slightly. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth, pushing the ache in my chest from my mind. "What do we do once reinforcements arrive?"

"We have Rodney in prime position, so we'll corner him. Jumping from this height will be too dangerous, so he'll essentially be trapped. We nip this thing in the bud, get him arrested or detained in some way, and we're in the clear."

"I have my Doof working on shutting the portals simultaneously, so that's that covered. He's a genius with some of his machines."

"Good. We're gonna need that." He studied the Normbots for a moment and added, "We'll have to wait a little bit before we can close in safely without arousing suspicion." He leaned back and looked at me. I knew at once his main goal was escape, and I knew that that had to be mine, as well, whatever it took.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

THIRD PERSON

"What've we got?" Candace snapped when she walked into the headquarters' main room.

"A hit. Somebody needs backup, a motel on the East Side," Carl replied. A blip on the map on the screen indicated the precise location he was talking about.

"Sir, we have an address," Gretchen said from another computer terminal, looking over her shoulder at Candace.

"Great. How long until we can get there?"

"Fifteen minutes, tops."

"Let's go."

PNF

Candace drove her staff into the wheels of the mine cart, causing it to grind to a halt before it slammed into the two large cylinders jutting out from the wall. "Okay, get in, provide the needed assistance, and get out," She said. "Make sure whoever sent out the call gets out safely. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," the other members of the team said in unison. The group hopped onto the platform, and Candace pressed a button opening the garage door under the motel.

"Move quickly. We don't know what we're getting into, but we have to get them out safely."

The Resistance members rushed into the garage, Candace taking up the rear. They reached the door and slipped into the emergency exit to the hotel. From there, the Firestorm Girls led the way up to the fourth floor, and Isabella kicked in the door.

The Normbots turned toward the Resistance members, and Candace said, "Move, now, and move fast." The Firestorm Girls and Buford launched into battle with the Normbots, and Candace forced her way through the hall until she reached a small alcove. She heard a chatter and glanced back at Perry and Platyborg. "You two?" she asked. They both nodded. "Good job." She nodded to them, and they returned the gesture. "Now, our mission is to get you out of here-" Platyborg held up a hand. "What is it?" He pointed around the corner and down the hall, letting out a chatter. "What?"

Platyborg sighed, slapping his forehead. He chattered again, more sharply, and Perry repeated the chatter. "Okay, this must be important. Show me," Candace said. The two platypuses walked down the hall, with Candace following in a crouched position. Platyborg stopped them in front of a door, and he leaned forward, listening for a moment. Then he kicked in the door, to an attack by Kittyborg. He gestured for Candace to get inside, and the two Perries proceeded to fight the cyborg cat.

Candace paused not ten feet from the door and asked, "Who's this guy?"

Perry looked up, and Rodney took a few steps forward. Perry leapt up so that he was between them and watched Rodney with narrow eyes. "Well, well, well, the Resistance is still strong, I see, but it is no match for Aloyse Everhart-" Perry kicked the man in the gut as hard as he possibly could, sending him back into the far wall. "Why you insolent little..." Rodney pushed forward, and Candace struck him on the thigh with her staff. He doubled over, and Perry glanced over his shoulder at Platyborg, who was pushing Kittyborg back into the room.

"Sir, we've got 'em trapped," Isabella said, poking her head through the door.

"Excellent. Stand by."

Isabella stood in the doorway, staring at the two confrontations enfolding before her. Platyborg subdued his opponent with a blast to the gut, sending her back into the wall. He chattered to Perry, who walked over to him. Candace stepped back, at the ready in case Kittyborg or Rodney tried anything. "Get them out, and get them as far as you can," she said.

"Okay, you two, come on," Isabella said, gesturing to the two Perries. "We've gotta get you out of here." Platyborg glanced back at Candace.

"I'll be okay here. Go," Candace said.

Isabella nodded and led the two Perries out of the hotel room.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

PLATYBORG

"It's not over," I said, looking over at Perry. We lay in First Dimension Phineas and Ferb's backyard in the waning hours of twilight. "The war is still going on."

"I know," Perry replied.

"Make you nervous?"

"Yeah, it does."

I nodded. "I'll keep tabs on the movements in my dimension, and if anything happens here in yours, let me know."

Perry nodded. "Keep your boys safe for me."

"You, too, and make sure your neck and ribs get better."

"You're never gonna stop with that, are you?"

"You should know me better than that."

"I should, but our dimensions are fundamentally different because of the fact that yours was ruled by a crazy, evil Doof. I know for a fact that changed you beyond what we see on the outside."

I looked away from him, my eye closing and a sigh escaping my bill. For a while, I'd forgotten about what I'd done, but Perry was right. I had been changed fundamentally by Doof's rule. I had become my worst nightmare through his work and desire to conquer. "It's okay," Perry whispered. "Listen to me. We're gonna win, or we're gonna die trying. That's how we roll, especially with our families and towns at stake. You with me?"

"Yes, absolutely."

"Good. We've got a war to fight."


End file.
